Ensemble

Gabriel Fauré composed the 'Pavane' during the summer of 1887 and it was originally be orchestrated for a chamber orchestra. Although he enjoyed composing and performing it, Fauré was unaware of (or t...

La "Musique pour les feux d'artifice royaux" (HWV 351) est une suite pour instruments à vent composée par Georg Friederich Händel en 1749 sur commande de George II de Grande-Bretagne pour les feux d'a...

La "Musique pour les feux d'artifice royaux" (HWV 351) est une suite pour instruments à vent composée par Georg Friederich Händel en 1749 sur commande de George II de Grande-Bretagne pour les feux d'a...

Now thank we all our God" is a popular Christian hymn. It is a translation from the German "Nun danket alle Gott", written circa 1636 by Martin Rinkart (1586-1649), which in turn was inspired by Sirac...

Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1816) is one of the greatest of all comic operas.Based on an excellent play by Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville delights audiences with its keenly sketched characters, melo...

While Saverio Mercadante (1795-1870) may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as impressive a number of works as...

Apart from Pomp and Circumstance, Nimrod from the Enigma Variations is Elgar's most famous tune. This arrangement, faithful to the original, maintains its air of dignity and solemnity, and will easily...

This ten part canzona is a classic ~ a calm opening precedes a short cross-rhythmic 3/4 section followed by an extraordinary common time section which combines ingenious counterpoint and crisp rhythms...

Another major key for two five-part choirs beginning with stately counter- point. The lower second choir takes on a more subdued role before a triple time section and a grand ending. Dur 2'45'

In florid and stunning counterpoint throughout, the one near rhythmic unison towards the middle comes as a real shock. A work showing extraordinary technique. Dur 2'45'

Exchanging the familiar antiphonal effects for skilful counterpoint, this canzona manages to successfully combine both grandeur and extreme virtuosity for the principal players of each of the two choi...

Following a grand opening tutti for the two equal choirs of five voices, Gabrieli crafts an ingenious work where every aspect of echo effect is explored.

A work which clearly looks towards the baroque concerto grosso with its repeated ritornello and its virtuoso writing for two soloists.

The predominant feature in this one-choir work is solemn counterpoint, largely in the soprano and alto register.

Characteristic rhythms and triple times for each four-part choir separately, followed by a glorious combination of all three choirs with some wonderfully incisive rhythmic passages. Dur 3'30'

Scored for three, four-part choirs this canzona is the most fanfare-like and brilliant of Gabrieli's entire output and all based on a simple arpeggio figure. Dur 2'15'

A grand majestic three choir piece firmly in the major key. Dur 3'30'

Scored for three four-part choirs this is an extraordinary work where each choir literally copies the first in succession for much of the time. With carefully distanced groups the effect can be stunni...

Scored for two six-part choirs and with only one treble part in each, this piece achieves a richness and solemnity that even surpass the better known eight-part Sonata Pian e Forte.

Found in the Kassel regional library in Germany, this piece divides the players into three unequal choirs of four, three and five. The three groups are completely integrated throughout, giving a rich...

This fourteen part sonata is not only one of Gabrieli's largest ensembles ~ including a 'coro grave' or low choir ~ but also the most harmonically daring of all his instrumental works. And yet after s...

Conceived for three large groups of five players apiece, this sonata combines grandeur and virtuosity for the three principal players of each choir.

A lavish instrumental work in the 1597 collection. Fifteen voices lying almost exclusively in the alto to bass registers.

This sonata scored for twenty two parts is the most lavish of all Gabrieli's instrumental works. Sonorous affect rather than musical argument is clearly the intention.

Simple yet characterful four-part canzonas found in Raverii's 1608 collection.